Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Norway
Norway: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 83.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
83.6%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
59th
of 238 countries
All-time high
83.6%
in 2025
All-time low
0.1%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Norway, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Norway stood at 83.6%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Norway peaked at 83.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1000.
That places Norway 59th out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 108 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Norway, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.1% | — |
| 1100 | 0.2% | +50.0% |
| 1200 | 0.3% | +50.0% |
| 1300 | 0.4% | +50.0% |
| 1400 | 0.6% | +50.0% |
| 1500 | 0.9% | +50.0% |
| 1600 | 1.4% | +55.6% |
| 1700 | 4.0% | +185.7% |
| 1710 | 5.9% | +46.5% |
| 1720 | 7.7% | +31.7% |
| 1730 | 9.6% | +24.1% |
| 1740 | 11.4% | +19.4% |
| 1750 | 13.3% | +16.3% |
| 1760 | 15.1% | +14.0% |
| 1770 | 17.0% | +12.3% |
| 1780 | 18.9% | +10.9% |
| 1790 | 20.7% | +9.8% |
| 1800 | 22.6% | +9.0% |
| 1810 | 24.4% | +8.2% |
| 1820 | 26.3% | +7.6% |
| 1830 | 28.2% | +7.1% |
| 1840 | 30.0% | +6.6% |
| 1850 | 31.9% | +6.2% |
| 1860 | 33.7% | +5.8% |
| 1870 | 35.6% | +5.5% |
| 1880 | 37.4% | +5.2% |
| 1890 | 39.3% | +5.0% |
| 1900 | 41.2% | +4.7% |
| 1910 | 43.0% | +4.5% |
| 1920 | 44.9% | +4.3% |
| 1930 | 46.7% | +4.1% |
| 1940 | 48.6% | +4.0% |
| 1950 | 47.9% | -1.5% |
| 1951 | 47.9% | +0.1% |
| 1952 | 48.0% | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 48.1% | +0.2% |
| 1954 | 48.1% | +0.2% |
| 1955 | 48.2% | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 48.3% | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 48.4% | +0.2% |
| 1958 | 48.5% | +0.2% |
| 1959 | 48.6% | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 48.7% | +0.2% |
| 1961 | 49.0% | +0.7% |
| 1962 | 50.1% | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 51.6% | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 53.6% | +3.8% |
| 1965 | 55.9% | +4.2% |
| 1966 | 58.2% | +4.2% |
| 1967 | 60.5% | +4.0% |
| 1968 | 62.6% | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 64.4% | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 65.6% | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 66.4% | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 67.1% | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 67.7% | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 68.3% | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 68.9% | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 69.3% | +0.7% |
| 1977 | 69.7% | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 70.1% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 70.4% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 70.6% | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 70.8% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 71.0% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 71.1% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 71.2% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 71.3% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 71.4% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 71.5% | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 71.6% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 71.7% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 71.9% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 72.2% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 72.6% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 73.2% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 73.7% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 73.9% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 74.2% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 74.7% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 75.3% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 75.8% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 76.1% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 76.4% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 76.8% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 77.3% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 77.6% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 77.8% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 78.1% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 78.4% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 78.8% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 79.1% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 79.2% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 79.3% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 79.5% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 80.0% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 80.6% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 81.2% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 81.7% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 82.0% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 82.2% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 82.5% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 82.7% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 82.9% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 83.0% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 83.1% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 83.3% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 83.6% | +0.3% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 83.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Norway's 83.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 69.6%, 1.2× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Norway changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1700 | +185.7% | 1.4% | 4.0% |
| 1600 | +55.6% | 0.9% | 1.4% |
| 1100 | +50.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1200 | +50.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| 1300 | +50.0% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| 1400 | +50.0% | 0.4% | 0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1600s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1700s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1710s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1 |
| 1720s | 7.7% | 7.7% | 7.7% | 1 |
| 1730s | 9.6% | 9.6% | 9.6% | 1 |
| 1740s | 11.4% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 1 |
| 1750s | 13.3% | 13.3% | 13.3% | 1 |
| 1760s | 15.1% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 1 |
| 1770s | 17.0% | 17.0% | 17.0% | 1 |
| 1780s | 18.9% | 18.9% | 18.9% | 1 |
| 1790s | 20.7% | 20.7% | 20.7% | 1 |
| 1800s | 22.6% | 22.6% | 22.6% | 1 |
| 1810s | 24.4% | 24.4% | 24.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 26.3% | 26.3% | 26.3% | 1 |
| 1830s | 28.2% | 28.2% | 28.2% | 1 |
| 1840s | 30.0% | 30.0% | 30.0% | 1 |
| 1850s | 31.9% | 31.9% | 31.9% | 1 |
| 1860s | 33.7% | 33.7% | 33.7% | 1 |
| 1870s | 35.6% | 35.6% | 35.6% | 1 |
| 1880s | 37.4% | 37.4% | 37.4% | 1 |
| 1890s | 39.3% | 39.3% | 39.3% | 1 |
| 1900s | 41.2% | 41.2% | 41.2% | 1 |
| 1910s | 43.0% | 43.0% | 43.0% | 1 |
| 1920s | 44.9% | 44.9% | 44.9% | 1 |
| 1930s | 46.7% | 46.7% | 46.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 48.6% | 48.6% | 48.6% | 1 |
| 1950s | 48.2% | 47.9% | 48.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 55.5% | 48.7% | 64.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 68.4% | 65.6% | 70.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 71.2% | 70.6% | 71.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 73.8% | 71.9% | 75.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.6% | 76.1% | 79.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.8% | 79.2% | 82.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.1% | 82.7% | 83.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Norway
- 56 Peru 85.6% compare
- 57 Saudi Arabia 84.6% compare
- 58 New Zealand 84.0% compare
- 60 United Kingdom 83.3% compare
- 61 Canada 82.9% compare
- 62 Germany 82.1% compare
More population data for Norway
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.2322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.32 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.2322 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1866 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 6,368 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.6612 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1496 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 14.86 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 224,990 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Norway?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Norway was 83.6% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 83.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1000.
- How does Norway rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Norway ranks 59th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Norway data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.